Daily Readings - Thu Mar 27 2025
Jeremiah
23But on this matter I did instruct them, saying: Listen to my voice, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. And walk in the entire way that I have commanded you, so that it may be well with you24But they did not listen, nor did they incline their ear. Instead, they walked by their own will and in the depravity of their own wicked heart. And so, they went backward, and not forward25from the day when their fathers went forth from the land of Egypt, even to this day. And I have sent all my servants, the prophets, to you, throughout the day, rising at first light and sending them26But they have not listened to me, nor have they inclined their ear. Instead, they have stiffened their neck, and they have behaved worse than their fathers did27And so, you will speak to them all these words, but they will not listen to you. And you will call to them, but they will not respond to you28And you will say to them: This is the nation that has not listened to the voice of the Lord their God, nor accepted discipline. Faith has perished and been taken away from their mouth
Luke
14And he was casting out a demon, and the man was mute. But when he had cast out the demon, the mute man spoke, and so the crowds were amazed15But some of them said, "It is by Beelzebub, the leader of demons, that he casts out demons.16And others, testing him, required a sign from heaven of him17But when he perceived their thoughts, he said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself will become desolate, and house will fall upon house18So then, if Satan is also divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebub that I cast out demons19But if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your own sons cast them out? Therefore, they shall be your judges20Moreover, if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then certainly the kingdom of God has overtaken you21When a strong armed man guards his entrance, the things that he possesses are at peace22But if a stronger one, overwhelming him, has defeated him, he will take away all his weapons, in which he trusted, and he will distribute his spoils23Whoever is not with me, is against me. And whoever does not gather with me, scatters
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound reflections on the human condition and our relationship with God. The first reading from Jeremiah paints a picture of a people who have turned away from God’s commandments, choosing instead to follow their own desires. Despite God’s repeated calls to return, they stiffen their necks and refuse to listen. This passage serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the importance of heeding God’s voice in our lives.
In the Gospel, Jesus confronts a different kind of resistance. After healing a mute man possessed by a demon, some onlookers accuse Him of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons. Jesus responds by pointing out the absurdity of this claim, noting that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. He then challenges His listeners to recognize the true source of His power—the finger of God—and warns them that failure to align themselves with God’s will is to oppose it.
Both readings invite us to reflect on our own willingness to listen to God and to discern the source of true power in our lives. Like the Israelites in Jeremiah’s time, we often find ourselves tempted to follow our own desires rather than God’s will. And like the crowd in Luke’s Gospel, we may doubt the authenticity of God’s work in our midst. Yet, Jesus reminds us that the kingdom of God is not about division or opposition but about unity and alignment with His will.
As we apply these readings to our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Am I truly listening to God’s voice, or am I allowing my own desires to lead me astray? Am I open to the ways in which God is working in my life and in the world around me? The moral lesson here is clear: To be with God is to be aligned with His will, and to reject His will is to scatter and divide. May we strive to be people who listen, who discern, and who actively seek to gather with Christ, rather than scatter.